The present invention relates to articles that are useful in a wide variety of cleansing applications. The invention particularly relates to wet-like cleaning wipes made from a textured carrier substrate treated with a multi-phase, multi-component emulsion which may be activated to release a liquid phase.
In the art of personal and household cleaning, a number of approaches have been developed to address cleansing needs. These approaches may be broadly categorized into two main categories: those utilizing a substantially dry substrate and separate cleansing agent, and those utilizing an integrated substrate/cleansing agent combination.
The first approach is typically one wherein the user utilizes a dry substrate of his or her choosing having the desired absorptive and textural properties. Commonly utilized substrates include disposable and reusable paper towels, cloths of natural and/or synthetic origin, and the like. The user then applies a emulsion of the desired composition to either the target surface and/or to the dry substrate and then applies the substrate to the target surface for the desired wiping or cleansing activity. While this approach has been utilized for many years, it requires the user to maintain separate supplies of substrates and emulsions. Moreover, it is often inconvenient to transport the emulsion to remote locations in the types of containers typically utilized. Additionally, it is a matter of trial and error to determine the appropriate effective amount of emulsion to apply.
In an effort to address these consumer needs, in more recent times integrated substrate/cleansing agent products have been developed wherein the substrate is packaged for use with the desired amount of the emulsion already applied. One such example of a product of this genre is the pre-packaged, pre-moistened towelette often available at convenience stores for cleaning hands before or after eating. Another example is the pre-moistened xe2x80x9cbaby wipesxe2x80x9d frequently utilized for child care activities. While such products have enjoyed a fair degree of commercial success, they do require a certain degree of packaging to prevent evaporation, contamination, or degradation of the emulsion prior to use. Moreover, depending upon the desired context, it is inconvenient to dispose of the packaging and, in the instance of multiple product packages, to separate wet substrates for individual use.
More recently, integrated substrate/cleansing agent products have been developed which address the concerns regarding preservation of a xe2x80x9cwetxe2x80x9d or activated implement in a usable condition. These articles utilize a textured carrier substrate treated with a multi-phase emulsion having a dispersed polar phase and a continuous lipid phase. These articles have a number of significant advantages over prior cleaning products, especially when in the form of wet-like cleansing wipes. These articles release significant quantities of the internal polar phase (e.g., water) during use for effective cleaning. The continuous lipid phase of the emulsion is sufficiently brittle so as to be easily disrupted by low shear contact (e.g., during the wiping of the skin) to readily release this internal phase, but sufficiently tough to avoid premature release of the internal phase during the rigors of processing. The continuous lipid phase of these articles is also sufficiently stable during storage so as to prevent significant evaporation of the internal polar phase.
These articles can be used in many applications requiring the delivery of a polar or liquid internal phase such as water, as well as actives that are dispersible in such polar materials. These applications include hard surface cleaning of floors, countertops, sinks, bathtubs, toilets, and the like, as well as the delivery of antimicrobial or pharmaceutical actives that are soluble or dispersible in polar liquids. These articles can also perform multiple functions. For example, the emulsion applied to these articles can be formulated to provide cleaning and waxing benefits at the same time when used on items such as furniture, shoes, automobiles, and the like.
While articles of this variety have proven successful in use, it is often difficult to either activate a sufficient amount of the emulsion to meet the end user""s need or to efficiently deliver to the capacity of the emulsion loaded on the article. As a consequence, it is often necessary to overcompensate by increasing the emulsion loading of the carrier material to ensure an adequate quantity of the internal polar phase will be made available for use.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an integrated substrate/active agent cleansing article which provides for efficient utilization of the active agents.
It would be further desirable to provide such a cleansing article which provides for ease of activation to release and deliver the active agent.
The present invention relates to cleansing articles that are supplied in a dry state but are capable of releasing significant amount of liquid upon activation by the end user. In particular, the invention relates to a cleansing article, which comprises:
(a) an activation web having a first surface having one or more regions that exhibit a textured, three-dimensional surface topography and a second surface, the activation web having a ratio of wet caliper to dry caliper (resilience ratio) of at least about 0.9; and
(b) a multi-phase, multi-component emulsion that is in direct contact with the first surface of the activation web.
During use, the textured activation web facilitates the breakage of the continuous external phase of the emulsion and releases the polar internal phase for the desired use.